Project Andromeda
1
Team Orion September 27, 2012
Project Andromeda
Mission Statement and Overview
Mission Statement:
The mission of Team Andromeda is to develop a Balloon SAT with a payload that will collect data on ultraviolet radiation to serve a dual purpose: to allow us to compare our relevant data with past records of the sun’s activity, as well as find a correlation between altitude and strength of UVA rays. We will determine how the solar activity has changed from eleven years ago – roughly one sunspot cycle – through the use of data from previous Balloon SAT missions and National Center for Atmospheric Research data. We will also determine if there is a relationship between UVA rays and altitude.
Mission Overview
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the frequency of solar storms has been increasing in the last 3 years. This December and the beginning of 2013 is the peak of solar activity in the 11-year sunspot cycle of the sun, wherein powerful solar flares have a higher probability of occurring. The increase in solar activity has led to an upsurge in the amount of radiation impacting earth’s atmosphere – specifically UVA and UVB rays. Sunspots and solar flares release large quantities of UVA and UVB radiation that can heat up the earth’s atmosphere, and cause satellites to experience increased drag. In addition, UVA radiation is harmful to life on earth and can cause damage on a cellular level. Since UVA rays have a wave length of 315-400 nanometers, it is close to that of visible light, and 70% to 95% penetrates through the atmosphere. UVB rays are even more damaging to life; however, UVB rays are at a shorter wave length – 280-315 nm - and almost all the rays are absorbed by the ozone layer. With the increase of solar activity, we believe that more radiation is encountering earth’s atmosphere and, therefore, more is reaching the life on earth. Also, with more UVB rays being absorbed, the ozone would heat up more.
With our ultraviolet radiation sensors, we will determine how much UV radiation is penetrating the atmosphere at different altitudes. Also, we will determine if the amount of ultraviolet radiation present is more or less than that from a 2010 Balloon SAT, and the data logged at the National Center for Atmospheric Research – which is based in Boulder, Colorado. As the Balloon SAT rises in altitude, we hypothesize that there will be a minimum increase in UVA detection, while, conversely, there will be an exponential increase in UVB detected as altitude increases. We also hypothesize that the levels of UV radiation detected will be higher than that of past years. If our hypothesis were correct, it would suggest that there is indeed an increase in solar activity. If this were the case, it would be important to follow up on our research, as solar activity has a great impact on life on earth: communication satellites could be at risk, damage to life on a cellular level could occur, and there would be a heightened risk of damage to the electric grid at higher altitudes. If the solar activity is increasing, there is the possibility of large solar flares happening that would cause even more damage. However, if our data proves that there is less solar activity currently, than previous years, it would suggest the possibility that the peak of solar activity has already occurred. Either outcome would provide valuable information on the future of human life.
Our Balloon SAT would be equipped with six UVA detectors – two on the top, and one on each side perpendicular to the attaching rope – and one UVB detector located on top of the structure. We will also have two UVA detectors and one UVB detector on the ground to have a control in the experiment. The UVA detectors are TSL235R – Light to Frequency Converters, which are temperature-compensated sensors for the wave length range of 320 nanometers to 700 nanometers. The UVB detectors are the TW30SX UV Sensor, which detects wavelengths of 215-387 nanometers.
Along with our UV sensing payload, we will fly two cameras on our Balloon SAT: a Canon A570IS Digital Camera to take pictures, and a Go Pro Hero camera that will record high definition video of the flight. Our objective with the two cameras is to provide video and picture representation of the curvature of the earth. And proof that the earth, is in fact, round.
1.0 - Mission Requirements
To meet all requirements stated below, Project Andromeda will follow a schedule and stick to a budget. Weekly team meetings, proper communication, and of course hard work along with dedication will be the cornerstones on which the team will build its success upon. The section numbers are located in the table to specify exactly where the requirement is specified
Number / Requirement / Page1.01 / Our experiment shall record and store data from six UVA sensors and a single UVB sensor mounted on the outside of the Balloon SAT.
1.02 / The Balloon SAT will be fully functional and be able to fly again after landing.
1.03 / The internal temperature will remain above -10o Celsius.
1.04 / The total weight of the Balloon SAT will be no more than 1.125 kilograms.
1.05 / The Balloon SAT will be fixed to the flight rope via a central PVC pipe, which will in turn rest upon large washers, one on the top and one on the bottom. There will be two knots, tied in the cord above and below the Balloon SAT, which will fix the PVC pipe in place, with the aid of the washers.
1.06 / We shall acquire the ascent and decent rates of the Balloon SAT.
1.07 / We will include a HOBO data storage device on the Balloon SAT.
1.08 / We will include a Canon A780 within the Balloon SAT.
1.09 / The Balloon SAT will record and store data from one 3-axis Accelerometer mounted on the inside of the Balloon SAT
1.10 / The Balloon SAT will record and store data from one Humidity sensor mounted on the inside of the Balloon SAT.
1.11 / The Balloon SAT will record and store data from one Altimeter mounted on the inside of the Balloon SAT.
1.12 / The Balloon SAT will record and store data from two Temperature sensors, one mounted on the inside of the Balloon SAT, and one mounted on the outside of the Balloon SAT.
1.13 / The Balloon SAT will record and store data from one Pressure sensor mounted on the inside of the Balloon SAT.
1.14 / We will include an active heating system with independent power supply.
1.15 / The Balloon SAT will be made of Foam Core.
1.16 / Our budget will include a parts list, including spare and redundant parts.
1.17 / Our hull design will permit and include Team Orion contact information and an American Flag printed visibly on the outside hull.
1.18 / All units used in the construction, proposal, preparation, measurement, data collection, and usage of the Balloon SAT will be in metric.
1.19 / No one, for any reason, will be harmed during the duration of Project Andromeda.
1.20 / Our design shall in no way intentionally permit for any living organism to be included in the mission payload.
1.21 / The Balloon SAT will be fully constructed and prepared for launch and recovery by no later than December 1st.
1.22 / All hardware and materials used shall be returned to Professor Koehler at the end of the semester, fully operable and undamaged, unless expressly told to the contrary by Professor Koehler.
1.23 / Any and all purchases using Professor Koehler's CU Visa will be recorded with meticulous detail on the budget. All purchase receipts will be archived and given to Professor Koehler within 72 hours of the purchase, and shall include a Gateway Order form for every purchase made in this manner. These purchases shall only be made with the express permission of Professor Koehler.
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2.0 - Technical overview:
2.1 - Design Plan
Project Andromeda is designed to ensure the success of its payloads. The payloads consist of 2 separate cameras, one for still photo's and one to take HD video, and a series of sensors that detect both UVA and UVB rays. The cameras are positioned in opposite corners of each other to keep weight as balanced as possible. There are two types of UV radiation sensors on our Balloon SAT. The first is a light to frequency converter ordered from sparkfun.com. Its range of wavelengths that it can radiation is from 320nm to 400nm which makes this is designed to detect UVB radiation. It detects wavelengths between 215nm to 387nm. Although it will detect UVA we will be able to filter out the UVA through analysis of the data. The data collected will be stored on a HOBO devise along with other data such as temperature both inside and outside the satellite and the altitude from an altimeter. To maintain the requirement of keeping a temperature above -10C our Balloon SAT will be insulated and will include a heater that was provided to us and runs on three 9V batteries and is self contained on its own circuit (see Block Diagram). Project Andromeda is prepared to alter our design plans to ensure success of our Balloon SAT and to accommodate any problems with our design. Such problems could be that the Balloon SAT is heavier on one side resulting in the center of mass being to one side. All of these changes to the design will be done promptly with the requirement of having the satellite ready for launch by December 1, 2012.
2.2 - Design Structure
Project Andromeda's structure is designed with several factors in mind. One obstacle that out satellite must overcome landing back on the ground. After an approximately 45 min decent slowed by a parachute the Balloon SAT will land on the ground at approximately 20 mph. Due to this hard landing the satellite must be able to survive the impact and keep all payloads in working order. Keeping its contents safe is a 15cm x 15cm x 15cm cube made of foam core and is reinforced on all edges and corners with hot glue on the inside and with aluminum tape on the outside. To attach the Balloon SAT to the balloon a small PVC tube is run directly cube in the center of the top and coming out through the bottom in the middle. The rope is run through the tube and is tied of on both ends keeping it in place by using washers on each end. All of the interior components are held in place using Velcro to keep them in place but to also provide easy access to them if needed.
2.3 - Data Collection
All data is collected in a way so that it can be easily analyzed. The data from all the sensors will be collected into the HOBO data storage devise. This data on the HOBO is then easily transferred to a laptop to be analyzed. The data from the GoPro camera will be stored on an internal SD card. This can be also transferred to a laptop where it can be analyzed.
2.4 - Photo and Video
The Balloon SAT will contain two onboard cameras. The first is a Canon A570IS Digital camera. This has its own battery that will power the camera but the pictures taken will be sent to the HOBO data storage devise. Our other camera is a HD GoPro. It will be positioned opposite of the other camera facing out the side of the structure. The GoPro will take video the entire duration of the flight. The purpose of the video is to see some of the most interesting moments of flight such as burst.
2.5 - Testing
Multiple tests will be performed to ensure mission requirements are met. These tests shall include multiple structure tests, the whip test, the cooler test, payload active tests, camera tests and most importantly a full functionality test.
2.51 - The Whip Test:
The satellite structure with simulation weight will be attached to a string via the flight string interface, a team member will then spin the structure above their head rapidly. The whip test will test the structure and flight string interface for durability during high accelerations just after burst. This test will also ensure sensors are taking accurate measurements of ascent and decent rates of the flight string.
2.52 - The Cooler Test:
The balloon satellite along with the temperature control system, internal sensors and external sensors will be placed in a container of dry ice. Data will then be collected on internal and external temperatures over a flight simulation period of 135 minutes. If the sensors and the temperature control system are working properly, the data should show the external temperature cooling until it reaches the temperature of dry ice. The internal temperature would ideally stay the same but errors in insulation will allow some cooling. The goal of this test is to ensure the satellite's internal temperature never falls below -10o C.
2.53 -Structure and Impact Tests:
This test will be conducted by exposing the structure of the balloon satellite to extreme collisions. At each phase of the build the impact and structure tests must be completed in order to ensure full functionality and a “ready-to-fly” status after impact. The purpose of the structure test is to guarantee that the delicate instruments housed inside the structure are never harmed.
2.54 - Payload Active and Full Functionality Tests:
Indicators will be placed out the outside of the structure as to signal when the payload is turned on. When fully operational an external LED will enlighten to serve as an indicator. We will also conduct several mission simulations to test that all parts of the satellite are performing as they should and to ensure that the actual mission runs as smoothly as possible.
2.55 - Camera Tests:
To ensure the success of our cameras onboard of the satellite we will test them to make sure the operate correctly. In the case of the GoPro we will shoot video until for any reason we cannot record any more to get an accurate representation of how long it will run.
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Team Orion September 27, 2012
Project Andromeda
3.0 Budget:
Jack will maintain the budget for both cost and for weight. He will keep detailed and accurate records about how much money we spend and how much weight that our Balloon SAT currently maintains. By doing this we will be sure to keep both our budget and weight requirements.
BudgetAmount / Item / Cost / Weight (g) / Retailer
Structure
1 / Foam Core / $0.00 / 50g / Gateway to Space
TBD / Insulation / $0.00 / 10g / Gateway to Space
1 / Plastic Tubing / $4.00 / 20g / McGuckin’s
4 ft / Aluminum Tape / $0.00 / 10g / Gateway to Space
TBD / Hot Glue / $0.00 / Gateway to Space
TBD / Velcro / $0.00 / Gateway to Space
Hardware
1 / Switches / $0.00 / 2g / Gateway to Space
1 / 3-axis Accelerometer / $0.00 / 5g / Gateway to Space
1 / GoPro 32 GB SD Card / $18.98 + S&H / 2g / Amazon
8 (6 on Satellite, 2 on Ground) / SFE Light to Frequency Converter / $2.95 + S&H / 10g / SparkFun
2 / TW30SX UV Photo Diode / Awaiting Quote Form Retailer / 10g / SciTec.UK.com
1 / GoPro / $130.00 + S&H / 167g / GoPro
2 / Arduino Uno / $0.00 / 54g / Gateway to Space
10 (5 on Satellite) / 9V Battery / $2.39 / 45.6 / CVS
1 / 2 GB SD Card / $0.00 / 2 / Gateway to Space
1 / Canon A780 / $0.00 / 200 / Gateway to Space
1 / HOBO / $0.00 / 50 / Gateway to Space
1 / Heater System / $0.00 / 100 / Gateway to Space
25 ft / Copper Wire / $4.00 / 113.5 x TBD / McGuckin’s
1 / Internal Temperature Sensor / $0.00 / 3 / Gateway to Space
1 / External Temperature Sensor / $0.00 / 3 / Gateway to Space
1 / Pressure Sensor / $0.00 / 3 / Gateway to Space
1 / Humidity Sensor / $0.00 / 3 / Gateway to Space
TOTAL for Balloon SAT / 1026
Miscellaneous
10 ilbs / Dry Ice / $12.00 / 4536 / Safeway
4.0 Schedule
Date: / Schedule:9.17.12 / Team Dinner Meeting @ Ted’s (730-930 pm)
9.19.12 / Meeting for Soldering Arduino’s in ITLL (3-430pm)
9.21.12 / Meeting for Soldering Arduino’s in ITLL (2-330pm)
9.24.12 / Meeting in ITTL Group Work Rooms (800-1030pm)
9.25.12 / Meeting in ITTL Group Work Rooms (1-245pm)
9.27.12 / Gateway to Space Free Class Period (930-1045am)`
9.27.12 / Meeting in ITLL Group Work Rooms (2-400) (8-1200pm)
9.28.12 / Meeting in ITLL Group Work Rooms to Assemble Proposal (12-4pm)
9.28.12 / Proposal Due (4pm)
10.1.12 / Regular Team Meeting (8-10pm) for CoDR
10.2.12 / CoDR Turn in and Presentation (930-1045)
Review of CoDR
10.5.12 / HW 6 Due
10.5.12 / Parts list order form due (HW 5)
TBD / Parts Arrive
TBD / Integration Begins
10.8.12 / Regular Team Meeting to discuss pCDR topics (8-10pm)
10.18.12 / pCDR and Design Document Rev A/B Due (7am)
Reviews of pCDR
10.22.12 / Regular Team Meeting for Assembly
10.23.12 / HW 7 Due
10.29.12 / Regular Team Meeting (8-10pm) for Flight Testing
11.1.12 / Mid Semester Evaluations Due
11.5.12 / Regular Team Meeting
11.12.12 / Regular Team Meeting for Final Mission Simulation Preparedness
11.13.12 / In Class Mission Simulation
11.15.12 / Design Document Review Due (12pm(11.16.12))
11.19.12 / Regular Team Meeting to check Final Assembly
11.27.12 / Launch Readiness Review
11.30.12 / Final BalloonSat Weigh in and TURN in (930-1045)
12.1.12 / Launch DAY (445-400pm)
12.11.12 / Final Hardware Turn In
12.11.12 / Final Presentations and Reports (6-900pm)
5.0 Saftey
In order to maintain safety for both the members of our team and project,
we will practice careful and precautionary steps throughout the entire
manufacturing and testing process. During the time that we are constructing theBalloonSat, there will be at least two team members working together: thisguarantees that each member of the team shall not attain any serious injuries.This precaution will also be beneficial to the inspection and verification process inthe building and testing of the BalloonSat. All testing will be orchestrated with theutmost care having multiple team members present, which will ensure theaccuracy of record data. For all hazardous materials, i.e. dry ice, proper safetymeasures for the specific material will be studied and executed. For the handlingof electronics, grounding wristbands will be worn for the prevention ofelectrostatic discharge damaging the hardware. Lastly, the team’s contactinformation, and an American flag will be affixed to the exterior of the balloonsatto alleviate concerns of terrorism and provide a sense of safety in the local
community.